Twisted Love
by Moony73
Summary: When the news of an attack by Fenrir Greyback pictured in the Daily Prophet reaches Nymphadora Tonks, she goes far and wide to be assured that the man she's fallen in love with, Remus Lupin, is safe from the claws of the dangerous werewolf. COMPLETE
1. Twisted Love: Insight

_Twisted Love_

_When the news of an attack by Fenrir Greyback reaches Nymphadora Tonks' ear, she goes far and wide to be sure of the safety of the one she's fallen in love with. Remus Lupin. She makes her first stop at Albus Dumbledore's office in the wizarding school, Hogwarts, but when his false reassurance makes her leave she then goes to Molly Weasley's home to wait out the night there. An unexpected visit starts the whole event. _


	2. The Prologue

_Twisted Love, A Harry Potter Fan-fiction- by Moony73_

Rated-T- Erotic scenes, mild language, and stylized action and violence.

Fantasy. Chapters: 5.

**CAST: **

**Albus Dumbledore**

**Remus Lupin**

**Nymphadora Tonks**

**Molly Weasley **

**Arthur Weasley**

**Katrina Dawson**

**Fenrir Greyback**

**SUMMARY:**

_Something's wrong. Nymphadora Tonks doesn't know what exactly, but she's willing to put herself in danger to find out. She wants to protect the one she's fallen in love with. Remus Lupin. She thinks he has been hurt by the fearsome Fenrir Greyback, and she goes far and wide searching for help. Her first stop is Albus Dumbledore, the only one feared by the ultimate Dark Wizard of the century, Lord Voldemort, and she is particularly keen on getting him to bring Remus home. But he doesn't cooperate. _

_When Tonks makes her fifth visit, Dumbledore expects it to be another about Remus. He has helped her with other problems, such as trying to help her make him understand that it is alright for them to be a couple. With Remus's being a werewolf, and his mission in the underground werewolf camp, he sees it unfit for them to see, write, or even kiss. He's worried that if they ever had kids, that he would pass on the werewolf gene, or worse, turn her to werewolf. Dumbledore is starting to become intolerant of her visits and he declines the offer of helping her. Reassuring enough, Tonks thinks that he is just trying to comfort her. _

_Molly Weasley doesn't expect the visit of Tonks soon after midnight, but she tries to help her all the same. With this being her second visit, still about Remus, she is less confident of helping Tonks with her problem. Being mad at Remus as well, she tries to talk her out of crying. But with a sudden knock at her door, and the lightened face of Nymphadora, they find Remus Lupin at the door. Tired and thin looking as always. That is when things go a little out of control and something Molly never expects to happen, happens. _

_­­­­­­­­­­­_


	3. Misleading, Controlling Events

_Chapter 1: Misleading, Controlling Events _

Nymphadora, please stay safe. The only reason I can't write to you, is because they will expect something. And when they find out your name, they with hunt you down and kill you. I don't want that to happen. I . . .

Remus

She looked angrily down at the note. He had left it on the door. But she didn't expect him to leave totally without writing something else. Such as where he would be so she could write him when he would be out of the came. She rushed back into the kitchen and grabbed piece of paper. A blank sheet of paper and a pen. She needed a pen. "Forget the pen," she thought miserably. "He wouldn't like it if I wrote him anyway." She paused before she thought anymore. An owl swooped in from the open window. A new newspaper clamped in its beak, a payment pound tied around its waist.

It hooted a quiet thanks as she dropped the tiny fingertip sized knut in its pouch and left through the window where it had come. She looked down at the paper quietly, a teardrop stained the paper as she looked down at it. She wiped her face the back of her left hand as she skimmed the paper, looking for important headlines.

"**ATTACKED BY A WEREWOLF!**" was one of the top headlines. She immediately stopped, her heart pounding, more tears coming as her mind locked on only one person who it could be. She didn't know how early Remus had left, but she knew that it had to be him. She skimmed down the paper until she stopped at an obviously fake picture of a werewolf striking out at a man in the dark. She kept reading, skipping the usual caption under all the pictures. She had to turned the paper a weird way to read what she had been looking for.

"It has just been reported that a 35 to 36 year old man has just been hurt severely by the notoriously dangerous Fenrir Greyback. No name has been reported at the scene, and we have yet to hear what the cause of all the trouble it. Minister of Magic--"

She didn't continue on to what the Minister had said. She jumped up from the couch, her face still tearstained, and turned immediately on the spot, vanishing just as the door slammed shut.

She arrived on the grounds of Hogwarts and was soon inside on the seventh floor, heading for Albus Dumbledore's office. She looked around, half-mindedly expecting him to be standing near the gargoyle, the entrance of his office. "Dumbledore? Dumbledore!" She called out his name many times before she said the password to his office, "Acidpops."

She climbed up the spiral staircase as quickly as she could possibly go and ran headlong into his office. "Dumbledore, I--" She stopped as soon as she saw his office empty. No Dumbledore in the chair. Just a snoozing Fawkes the phoenix on his stand, and an empty office with a twilit window.

. . . Somewhere in the middle of nowhere . . . In the underground were wolf camp . . . Silence lay still.

Fenrir Greyback nearly screamed once more, searching for only one person. It had been 11:00. Soon enough they would transform without the moon's light at all. He called out once more, this time in a commanding tone, "Hey, Lupin!"

Remus Lupin hadn't been at his desk, or in bed, only because no one came from his tent. Greyback headed there. He entered uninvited, but only to find the normal bed and desk. But something had been bothered. There was a spilled bottle of ink on the floor and the quill on his desk had been used. Fenrir walked quietly over to it. He questioned himself, muttering, "Ink, why would he have ink." He saw parchment on the desk. "Blank?" There had been two pieces of paper on his desk, both nearly blank, but he noticed quite quickly that they weren't blank at all.

He read them silently.

Dear, Nymphadora ,

I wont . . .

That had been the first sheet of parchment. "What's this other one?" he started in a whisper, but he had most certainly been talking to himself.

. . . Be able . . . To . . . Make it . . . For Christmas . . . I'm sorry . . .

Remus

"WHERE DID HE GO!" Minutes later, Greyback was storming through the whole camp, searching for Remus Lupin. Someone came up behind him. He noticed the white shirt of a woman.

"Go away!" He nearly screamed, but he managed to keep his voice a low, stern tone.

"What's happened?" she commanded with a yielding voice. She was scared of him. It was definite because of her tone.

"REMUS LUPIN!" he screamed, his voice nearly hoarse. "Stay out of this, Katrina," he sounded stern again, but this time anger had been a mixed color in his voice.

She didn't listen to him. "But Remus is--"

He cut her off before she even finished the overused excuse, "But Remus is everything, . . . I really don't care anymore!" He nearly stomped off until someone came up to him. He recognized the voice and face immediately, barely able to listen to what they were saying.

"Fenrir, I heard the yelling and my name . . ." Lupin didn't get to finish his sentence. Greyback didn't hold himself back as he did moments ago.

The sound of the punch was heard all the way to the third line of tents in the camp. Another punch was landed as a sickening thud was heard.

Remus could still see the lights buzzing around as he felt blood drop from his busted lip.

"Nymphadora! Who is she!" Greyback was barely able to wait for the answer.

"Who?" Lupin straightened himself up wiping away the blood from his lip with the back of his hand.

"That woman!" Greyback struck out again. This time landing a punch that knocked Lupin to the ground.

"She's . . . someone . . . I know!" He panted, resenting the explanation as it escaped his lips. The words felt like water as he gave himself away with what he had hidden for the six months he had been at the camp.

. . . Back in Dumbledore's office . . . At Hogwarts . . . Tonks lay on the floor . . .

"Remus!"

Thoughts raced in her mind as she fell on the floor of his office. She landed on the soft red carpet the had been at the doorway of his office. She kept thinking on and on, her mind fighting on both sides of a battle.

"He's dead . . ."

"No, he can't be . . ."

Someone entered the office but she didn't mind it.

"Nymphadora?"

She turned rapidly to see the concerned face of the Headmaster of the school, Albus Dumbledore.

"What are you doing here, Nymphadora? It's eleven o'clock at night?" He didn't sound frustrated, just concerned, more concerned than he had been.

"Someone's been attacked by Greyback, Professor!" she burst out. She couldn't hold back crying.

He spoke quietly, coolly, guessing immediately why she was there. "And I presume you think it's--"

She slowly cut him off, tears streaming down her face. Dumbledore was hardly able to bear the desperate look that took over her face, her expression. "Remus, yes, I do!"

He smiled in spite of himself. He shook his head slowly, but Tonks didn't have time to notice before she spoke in an accusing tone.

"This is no laughing matter!"

He challenged her in a cool tone, still keeping his composure at a high level of calmness, of comfort. "Oh I am so sorry, . . . But I am not laughing . . ."

She looked at him critically, challenging him with her expression. She had always trusted him, but he was certainly not helping her now.

"It's just . . . The way you care for . . . It's just amazing when you don't really care if he loves you back. It's rare love but--" he was cut off, again with the same look as before.

"You're not really helping with the situation, Professor." She addressed him slowly, as if he didn't really deserve to be called by such a high position.

His smile faded quietly. He suddenly became uneasy as he hummed to himself, taking matters out of his mind one by one. " . . . Mmm . . ." He continued on without any further pause. "Trust me, . . ." He cleared his throat for the final sentence, readying himself to be cut off, as he expected. "He will be fine--"

She cut him off _again_, "But--"

He took control of the conversation for the last time, "But you look so worried that you're sick?" He questioned slowly and continued, "You look as pale and thin as Remus as well. You've been worried, sad, presumably?"

He cleared his throat once more, "He's worried about you, too. But you must let him slow down so he can have time for something like this. He's told me what you've said to him. He's worried about what would happen. You think that he doesn't care at all for you, but he does. Trust me, will you? He does, for certain. Just wait and see. He will be fine."

She wore a blank expression as he finished the lecture. She was pondering what would really happen, if what he said would work and if the outcome he gathered would be right. She then answered after a long silent five minute pause. "Yeah, I guess I should. But don't you think he _could_ be hurt . . . Or in the least, danger?"

"I think he will be fine. Nymphadora, you mustn't worry about him like this. The only reason it is bothering you is that he hasn't told you he will be fine. He is perfectly fine. He will do something about this as well when the time comes, when this mission is over and he is relieved. You may continue the matter with him there." He spoke a few parts to himself, but Tonks had heard him speaking all the same. He continued, "Now, I trust you to leave back home or return to your post. Am I understood?"

She obeyed him quietly with a last word, "Yes, sir." Her expression had changed from desperate to worried, just worried.

"Oh and, _Tonks_, 'm quite sure Molly would like to see a smile and some pink?" He was smiling himself.

"Yes, sir." She gave in, but she was certainly not worried about changing her attire. She sighed quietly as she left for the Burrow.


	4. Useless Comfort

_Chapter 2: Useless Comfort_

Greyback landed another punch relentlessly. "FENRIR, STOP!" Katrina nearly walked out in front of him to shield Lupin, but she only walked forward.

"DO I HAVE TO ENSURE YOU HE WILL LIVE!" Her expression was blank when he didn't look up.

"MAYBE YOU DO!" She was still uptight as he straightened up and fixed his shirt normally.

He continued the conversation in a cool tone after a short pause, "Well then, he will; now, c'mon moon's already . . ."

The moon's glared reached them through an opening in the camp's ceiling. The light made them bend over in agony. Both werewolves ended up on their knees. Another wolf, presumably Lupin, was standing behind them watching as he saw the moon rise higher and higher. He spoke as the shirts of the two ripped open at the back, "You idiot, Greyback, . . . Never heard of Wolfsbane, eh?"

Both stood at the same time, the male, Greyback, spoke, "Idiot, who're you calling an idiot!" He turned to face the moon, howling moments after.

"Umm . . . Yeah, I'm guessing I'm in trouble, huh? RUNNING AWAY!"

"AFTER HIM!" At least twenty wolves were growling at the wolf's wake. They all shouted and howled at the night's moon. A few saying at the same moment, "GIVE CHASE!" And they did, Greyback and Katrina at the lead.

. . . In the Burrow . . . Molly Weasley tries to comfort Tonks . . .

"Oh, Tonks, so glad to see you? Are you hungry?" Molly's delighted face looked past the door out at the darkness.

Tonks walked inside, responding to the question, her face tear-stained, "No, not really."

Molly, noticing the tears, asked almost immediately, thinking at the same time. "Remus again? He's beginning to get on my nerves. He knows what she going through, and why, and won't even write and I'm sorry, or something of then sort!"

"Well, what's wrong? Why are you crying dear?"

"Why am I asking her this! I know why!" Her mind raced as she thought and spoke at the same moment.

She answered slowly. "Someone's been attack by Greyback. They reported a middle-aged, 35-36 year man."

"And you think it's Remus?" She walked over to her, gripping her shoulder, her eyes closed as she tried to comfort Nymphadora. Thinking quickly, she didn't open her eyes.

"He really is starting to get on my nerves!"

. . . Back in the silent camp . . . Something lurked in the woods . . . Searching for shelter away from the raging werewolves . . .

"Now, all I have to do is wait for sunrise!" a wolf in a cave declared. Remus Lupin looked out from the opening of the cave. He ceiling was low, but he was used to it. After going under the Whomping Willow with his friends and by himself for seven years, he certainly didn't mind this. Thinking about his past, he nearly laid down and decided to anyway. With his head on his paws, he thought of something else. "Maybe she really doesn't care." He breathed in deeply, sighing many times before he slowly fell asleep, losing himself in a sea of thoughts.

. . . The sun rose quietly over the trees outside the den Remus Lupin slept in . . .

Silence crept over and into the den. Remus Lupin stepped out of the den, more likely crawled. The space was far to narrow for him to climb in as a human, but he had remembered the night before, unlike so many before the potion had been created.

He looked out over the bushes, expecting to see tents, but he knew better. "Ah . . . Now, I need to ask Dumbledore if I'm allowed to come home for Christmas . . . Some Merry Christmas." He thought about what would happen when he got to the Burrow. Harry would probably be there. Along with his red-headed friend. Ron. He would then be left alone. Yes, some merry Christmas. He wouldn't be able to stay at the Burrow long. Molly would almost kill him if he didn't go home to spend Christmas at with a certain someone. He sighed gently. He was worried of course. With the weird feelings he had around her, he was certain to screw something up.

Quietly, he walked into the camp, nearly walking into a few fallen down canvases because of inattentiveness. He looked up, away from the wrecked camp. They would certainly have some repairing jobs going out. He looked around the main ring of tents near the center of the camp. Greyback's, Katrina's, his own, and Montague's, who had _unceremoniously_ taken a trip home because of some sort of illness. But Remus didn't mind that as he walked forward toward the ashen, smoking fire. He didn't bother with it because he muttered quietly, "Good, just as I left . . . It."

He stopped the sentence slowly as he walked into his tent. Everything was ruined. He noticed the puddle of blood on the packed down floor before the bloodied bird feathers, obviously from his bed, and the thrown over chair with the bitten off desk leg. The broken ink bottle was the last thing he bothered with.

Walking out of the tent slowly and backwards, he raised his wand. "That's it." But he didn't say it exasperatedly. He waved his wand out, speaking loud and clearly, his voice ringing in the distance, "Dumbledore?"

. . . At Hogwarts . . . In the office of the Headmaster . . . Dumbledore shot up with the sound of someone's voice he recognized in immediately and answered the wand call . . .

"Yes?" He recognized the voice immediately, but slower. He had expected the call earlier. He wore a tired expression but a smile had manage to slink across his face. Everything had been living hell with the reports and calls from the Daily Prophet, as well as Death Eater danger. Keeping a school together was bad enough. But he enjoyed the excitement.

He waited for the answer, "May I be relieved for a few days?" Remus's mind answered to the sentence quickly, but he had no control over what it was saying inside his mind. What he did put together was that he would have rather stayed there after he heard his own thoughts. "Please? PLEASE!" It sounded like a dog, whining, begging, imploring to apparate away from the camp. But then he put in the picture of what it meant. He saw her in his mind.

Dumbledore's smiled widened, but not enough to show his teeth. He didn't expect anything of the sort. Just a few reports on what was happening and a short, breath-releasing, reassurance lecture that would have let Tonks know he was alright.

He then replied slowly, "For a while, yes; oh and I received another visit. Would you think about reconsidering what you said the last time?" Dumbledore's face, even though he knew Remus couldn't see it, restricted to a serious expression. He waited for the answer from him.

A sigh sounded from the tip of wand. He barely laughed. And then waited another few moments. "I guess I could, but I'm still not sure."

Remus paused as Dumbledore cut in, "Great, she'll be delighted!"

"_GREAT_!"

. . . In the Weasley home . . .

Remus stood at the door, almost muttering to himself. But he restrained himself. He just thought silently before knocking on the door, "Maybe it won't matter . . . At all. I mean I know she likes me being there. Hmm . . ." He hesitated, "No, I'm too old, I don't have any money, and there's no cure at all."

His mind slowed as he listened in on what was happening in the kitchen of the home.

. . . In the Burrow's kitchen . . .

Tonks kept her eyes closed as Molly continued trying to comfort her. "He's alright. You've never seen him take on a werewolf as a human. And to use a huge difference he was human. That's not your every day-" Molly would have continued the sentence, but she heard a _thunk_ behind her. Turning to see what it had been, she saw Tonks with her head in her arms, obviously crying. "He's alright, dear," she said slowly. There was a long silence after.

A knock at the door sounded like a bomb dropping because of the silence. "Who's there," Molly's voice sounded harsh as she immediately came up with who it was.

Tonks raised her head up off the table before she spoke. "Remus?" Her expression immediately changed.

Molly's expression was mixed as she spoke as well as her voice. "Password?" She sighed quietly, but not loud enough for the two to hear her.

"Acidpops-- " Remus was stopped before he had the chance to continued on.

"Remus!"


	5. Delightful Reunion

Chapter 3: Delightful Reunion 

Tonks' expression changed totally from tearstained to smiling. Her mind raced as she jumped up. "He's alright!"

As they embraced in a hug, Molly thought quietly, "Well, he makes her smile in the least!"

She stopped once she heard their whispering voices. It seemed that she was merely a prop standing in the background now. "You're alright!"

"What did you expect?" he replied in a mild manner as always, but from where Molly was standing she could see that he was watching her in a worried way. His eyes stayed at her face; his expression was worried, confused at the most. He sighed. Closing his eyes at the same time.

"What's wrong," she questioned quietly. This made Molly angry. "After all she's gone through tonight, you make her ask you that! There should be nothing wrong besides the fact that you're not apologizing at all!"

"I'm tired." The reply was hardly audible.

Tonks took his hand. "C'mon." She led him forward out of the kitchen, leaving Molly to stand dumbstruck and worried herself. "Well . . ." she thought cautiously.

"You looked like you're sad . . ." Tonks walked into the living, spotting the couch and walking over to it. She sat down at the end with her arm resting on it. Remus made a move to sit beside her, but she stopped him. She moved him to where his head was on a pillow that laid in her lap. He was lying down on the couch as he listened to her speak and as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"You know, I've never cared about anyone before, and I find feeling makes me feel like whatever is in the way doesn't matter. I don't care about wealth, age, or . . . well, anything! I just care about the other person's feelings and if they are safe. And I love you, Remus."

His expression was blank as he replied, his sentence was broken, "I know . . . but . . . we can't, and I think it will--" He was stopped by her, and as she spoke he closed his eyes quietly to see what she would do.

"But I love you! Do you not love me?" she asked, realizing that he had gone to "sleep". "Don't do this to me again!" she said innocently. She leaned in as she saw Remus's tearstained face. She kissed him gently on the cheek and felt him move to where he was facing the ceiling. She leaned in again as she sat up. He was awake and she knew it, but it would be the only time she would be able to do this. She knew. She held the kiss, this time on the lips, but it hadn't been as long as she had wanted, or expected. The voice made her jump when she heard it.

"TONKS!" She recognized the voice slowly, exiting silent thoughts and leaving the picture she saw in her head. A red blush crossed her face as she saw the confused face of Arthur Weasley looking into the living room.

"Molly told me you were up to something, but I didn't expect something this broad . . . or this open," he said slowly, speaking to himself.

"Um, Arthur, you're rambling on to yourself . . . again," she said quietly with a small smile on her face. The blush that had so readily settled on her face started to fade ever so slowly. She wanted it to leave her completely so she didn't have to keep looking up and down. She didn't want Arthur to find her embarrassed.

"Oh, well, I am, aren't I?" he questioned himself. "You might want to go to sleep . . . otherwise Molly will invite you into the kitchen. You can leave him here," he said hesitantly, continuing in spite of himself, "He won't die overnight, trust me." As he saw the smile on her face fade, he stopped himself as if that were all he had to say.

"Fine," she said decisively, releasing a ragged breath and she got up from the couch slowly so as to not wake Remus up. "Good girl," Arthur said warmly.

As she reached the shadowed steps of the staircase, as she was about to walk up, she heard Arthur speak, noticing it was directed to Remus, "Why can't you be grateful?" He paused for a moment or two, "You think you're in way too deep, mate, but forget about it."


	6. Unexpected Visits Unexpected Happenings

Chapter 4: Unexpected Visits Unexpected Happenings 

There was at least an hour's silence before someone came to the top of the stairwell.

Tonks stood there silently; she felt stupid, in a way. Like a stupid little girl with a stupid little crush. Maybe she _was_ being an idiot. "Remus . . ." she had muttered in spite of herself. Yes, she was eventually going to make a fool of herself in front of him. She could feel it. She felt that way as she quietly made her way down the stairs. She jumped the third one on her way down and she landed on the carpeted floor like a cat. Maybe she wasn't as clumsy when he was around. But this time he was asleep so it didn't matter if she did do anything stupid. She stood there for a moment before she walked over to the couch.

She bent low and leaned in for her third kiss of the evening. She held the kiss for minutes, breathing through her nose as well as Remus was. She looked up and made a grab for the blanket, almost pulling it off the back of the sofa, but someone had taken a hold of her wrist before she continued. "No, we can't. And I don't need it if that's what you thought."

"And why not!" she asked in a stubborn, hurt voice. She felt like stomping around.

He sat up quietly, looking at her in a worried expression that still held its firmness. "Because . . . I want to keep you as you are. I don't want you like me at all." He finished in the firm voice that he always used whenever he was in this situation.

"I . . . Love . . . You . . ." she said as she raised her hand,held it behind his head,and kissed him. She felt Remus pull back.

"You don't understand," Remus's shoulders dropped as he paused, "I don't even know what will happen! I care about you but we can't and--"

"Yes, we can. It won't matter but . . . you don't love me . . . that's why," she said. Her right arm came up as she laid her head down on his knees. She pulled her left arm down and covered her face with her right.

As she did this, he spoke firmly, almost harshly, but she found it gentle, "I do. Otherwise I wouldn't care, and you wouldn't be here. Her eyes looked into his as he held his hand under her chin. He felt lukewarm tears fall onto his palm.

His expression was everything positive. A mix of emotions: worry, concern, stern, gentle, firm, even sad. "You've cried for me, made sure I was always safe at your own risk, and sat at my feet, crying, imploring. What do I have to do for you in return, besides stopping you any further and assuring you that I will always be safe?" His voice was only a whisper.

She grasped his hand and laid it on his knees. "Hang on." She pushed him back as he laughed. "Lay down, you lamebrain," she said quietly. She laid down next to him, with her head on his chest. "You know this can't last long," he said quietly, closing his eyes, knowing she was going to fight it out with him.

"Why are you mad?" she asked, her head still turned, facing the wall.

"I'm not mad," he said simply, innocently. He turned his head in the same direction she was looking in.

"Then why are you so negative?" she asked challengingly. There was a silence before they moved at the same time. "I'm not negative . . . I'm worried. And this time it's about you for a change." He sat up, and she raised herself to the same level. They looked into each other's eyes for moments, until Remus looked away.

Tonks got up and leaned in saying at the same time, "I love you, 'night." And she kissed him. She was nearly exploding with feelings as she clutched her fist under the long sleeve of her green hoodie. "Go to sleep," she muttered as she turned away. She walked up the stairs and as she reached the landing she turned and whispered, "Goodnight."

It was only a few moments silence before he head the shuffling of feet. "Looks like you've just been caught blowing your whole I-think-I'm-too-dangerous-for-you-act between Tonks." Someone stepped in the doorway of the living room. It had been the door that led to the kitchen.

Remus sat up immediately," Uh-oh, busted! Arthur, were you spying in on me?"

"Why can't you say us?" Arthur asked. There was a shining reflection off of his wire-rimmed glasses.

"I guess I can," he said slowly, pressing his lips together hard, and squinting in the darkness. . Arthur almost cut him off.

"Good man! I see you've changed your mind! Completely?" he questioned slowly.

"I'm not very . . ." His head tilted down and he went limp. Arthur spotted the light through the window next to the door. The glare off of his glasses reflected the light of the full moon. He heard Remus's painful yelps as he watched his clothes rip. His mind was working overtime and kicked into gear only moments after he saw the burning amber eyes of Remus.

"Oh, shit! Remus! Molly, wake everyone, quickly! RUN! RUN!" Arthur ran up the stairs, half falling half scrambling up the creaking stair well as he heard the howling from Remus. Was it Remus? He didn't bother to ask himself, or to find the answer. He just kept running until he knew he had passed all of the branched off bedrooms, until he reached the end of the hall. He realized the bathroom light was one as he passed it and ran into his own room. Tonks looked up from the sink where she was splashing cold water on her face. "Remus?" she asked her reflection in the large mirror. She wore a confused expression as she walked out into the hall.

"What's hap'nin'?" Molly sat up in bed, an eye cover half covering her face. One eye looked out into the darkness of the night, out through a window where the light of the moon reached her room. She spotted Arthur in the doorway and understood immediately. But a sound of splintering wood and the creaking of the door to the stairs silenced them both completely.

Tonks stood silently in the doorway. She saw the burning, glowing eyes of the man she love. Was it really him? "This is what he turns into . . ." She almost started to cry. "Go on, bite me. You and I both know that you want to." She cried at the thought. At least she and Remus would be together. The werewolf, however feral and violent, stepped back. It seemed less wolfish than before, as if she could see the trapped expression on Remus's face within the werewolf's eyes. He stopped stepping backwards as Tonks was jerked back into the hall by Molly.

Suddenly everything was a whirlwind of color. The last thing Tocks could see before a cloak had covered her eyes was the door being slammed in the face of a werewolf who was launching himself at the doorway. She cried out, unable to bear herself, "THAT'S REMUS, ARTHUR!"

"NO IT'S NOT, NYMPHADORA! HE'S BEING CONTROLLED, THAT IS NOT HIM--"

Tonks immediately cut him off, ignoring the fact of her first name being used, "HOW DO YOU KNOW! ALL WE KNOW IS THAT HE'S A WOLF NOW! THAT'S STILL HIM! HE'S STILL REMUS!"

"And he knows that, dear. Just the fact pf being feral beasts doesn't appeal to him very much," Molly said, pulling that cloak off of Tonks' head slowly. She remembered the moment of being pulled back from another future. Everything could have changed. She could see the event like she was someone else surveying it. She could see Molly pulling her back by the collar of her robe and saw herself being pulled down in a circle, remembered landing on her knees, face-flat.

She remembered the look of apology in the werewolf's eyes. That was still Remus, it was still her Remus.

"IT'S REMUS!" she said loudly again. This time she registered the sound of splintering wood from the door. She struggled to get up, to fight Molly who was holding onto her so she would burst headlong through the door.

"YOU'RE BEING AN IDIOT! WAIT TIL MORNING!" Everything stopped, Molly's grip lessened, Arthur leaned against the door and the splintering sound had finally stopped. They could see that the twilight of dawn was rising over the mountain tops.

They all breathed a sigh of relief, but for some reason Tonks felt that something wasn't right. Something was missing. She walked over a resting Molly over to where Arthur was leaning against the door. He got up and helped Molly to their room and closed the door behind him.

Tonks walked over pieces of light brown wood and opened the broken door. She made her way down the stairs. He had gone somewhere she knew it, but where she didn't know.

"Remus!" she screamed out in terror.


	7. Sly Talk

_Chapter 5: Sly Talk_

She saw blood dripping from a broken window and ran over to it, although she had no clue whose blood it had been from in the first place. She saw someone on the outline of the horizon, moving away from the Burrow.

"What to do? What to do! Curse them or run after them?" Her mind pounded as she looked back at the stairway. "Call for Molly and Arthur? No, they'd tell me to stay here. I don't want to cry again! Running after him sounds good, but risking my life isn't one of the options! Oh . . . Fuck it! For Remus!"

"For Remus," she said quietly. She left the house, quietly closing the door and paused. Where would she go? She closed her eyes, trying to remember the place Dumbledore had told her about. Opening her eyes immediately, she turned on the spot, hopefully being sent to the place Remus was heading.

. . . Moments after . . .

She opened her eyes to see trees that murmured, whispered, trying to lead her into their foreboding darkness. She tried not to listen, but the reoccurring thought of the werewolves, of the picture she saw of Remus being fought by Greyback in her head was too much and she continued on without hesitation.

Suddenly, someone pinioned her against a tree, her cheek being scratched by its rough bark.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A human wandering through the midst of our forests? Do you know what happens to humans in our camp?" The werewolf continually spoke to his colleagues. They laughed in a horrifying way. She fought hard against his grip until she heard the sound of someone else struggling against the grip of another. She tried hard to turn to see who it had been out in the open, but the werewolf's gripped on her arms had been to strong. She heard a crack ring through the air and realized that they had won. They had taken Remus to who knows where their camp was.

That was when she stopped fighting them.

. . . Greyback and Montague appeared in a menacing darkness with Remus struggling against their grasp . . .

"Montague, first go find Katrina . . . I think she still has something to tell our friend here. While you're away I shall have a little chat with him. Then go check on who else the rest of the pack's captured," Greyback ordered in a low voice.

Montague left momentarily after Greyback had managed to push, more punch, a struggling Remus to the ground in the dark.

They were trapped somewhere like a dungeon, but it seemed different. It wasn't damp and the floor was sand. Greyback was heard moving as he lit four torches, one on each wall, although that was the only decoration.

"Do you have any clue where you are?" Greyback asked in a cold tone.

"Not very much, all I can see is that it is some sort of dungeon chamber," Remus said slowly, looking around.

"Close enough," he retorted as if Remus was stupid. "Why don't you take a look behind you?"

Remus struggled hard to turn his head around. He only caught glimpses of a skeleton that hung lazily from wrist shackles that were bolted into the wall behind him. "This is a torturing chamber, if you've come up with a different answer," Greyback continued.

"And if you're lucky, you won't end up there, just in a cage. Something totally different from your comfortable tent," he said, reminding him of the night before. He smirked.

"I see that you didn't enjoy my irreplaceable company, Fenrir," he said slowly. His head hung low, knowing that Greyback would do something to respond to that reply.

Greyback lunged at him and punched him in the face, "You'd do well to shut the hell up." Remus looked up at him, half trying to control his breathing, half trying to ignore the pain rising in his neck and the left side of his face. He had heard his neck pop, but he was sure that it wasn't broken, obviously.

Greyback looked down at him with an oppressing expression. Remus ignored it. Turning to look elsewhere besides ahead of him where Greyback had returned to sitting and whistling in the obviously uncomfortable stone chair. Apparently it did not bother him only because he had the ability to watch Remus struggle with the ropes that bound his arms behind his back.

"You know, I do believe that there is a different silencing charm rather than putting one over your mouth." Remus felt the ropes cut into his wrists as he realized what Greyback was going to do.

Greyback took Montague's wand from where it was laid on the arm of the stone chair and waved it over his mouth, silently thinking the incantation, ropes suddenly appeared, tight over his mouth, keeping him silent except for the small sounds that his throat was able to make. Greyback then picked him up by the collar of his shirt, slugging him in the stomach. Greyback released him, and Remus fell to the ground, in a heap, on his side.

Remus had been unable to cough up the blood that had welled in his mouth. Unintentionally, though, he let some of it slip through his open mouth where the ropes had cut into the corners. Greyback's cruel mirth, however, was not restrained.

"If you do indeed, manage to mess something up, which I am sure, either way you say it, you will be rewarded with some sort of pain. Not that I will manage to restrain myself from either activities, you will be set with pain after this event is set. I'm sure that the pack is having a delightfully good time hurting whoever has taken the liberty of coming after you. I think to say that, while we made our way here, I saw a young woman. Who is she, Lupin?" His voice was hard, yet seemingly casual as he twirled Montague's wand around with his fingers, simultaneously standing from the chair and bending in front of Remus who still sat on the ground, struggling against the ropes.

Suddenly, they disappeared, and, staring into Greyback's dark eyes he responded coldly, "I have absolutely no clue as to who you are talking about, and I don't recall seeing anyone being cornered in our forests, but if you like I can come up with images of who would think it possible to come a resurrect me from this camp." A sudden image locked inside his head and he was immediately grateful that Greyback knew nothing of Legilimens.

Greyback was about to respond to the burning reply when Remus moved suddenly. His hands took Greyback's neck, and, with strength that immediately surprised the both of them, Greyback was slung into the stone wall across from the chair Greyback had sat in so imperiously minutes ago.


	8. Confession Confusion

_Chapter 6: Confession Confusion _

There was a sudden screaming outside of the stone walls that kept the two of them shut up. A sudden crack was heard and two people appeared inside the dimly lit, cavernous, dungeon. One person, obviously the source of the screaming, fell to the ground with a soft thump. The sand slid in all directions as the body of Katrina moved, struggling against the hidden, unseen ropes that bound her.

She looked around, spotting Greyback and shooting him a menacing look. She turned, trying halfheartedly to struggle out of Montague's grip on the back of her shirt-collar.

"Remus—" But Greyback cut her off before she had the time to step up and stumble to his side.

"I believe you had something to tell our friend, here?" She looked back at Greyback as if she had never even seen him before.

"Remus, I know you probably won't accept this—" she turned abruptly back to Greyback who now wore a disgusted expression, "but—" she was heard, gulping, "I love you."

Remus's head immediately hung low. How could he explain, in front of Greyback, that there was someone else, someone who he really cared about? "I don't want hurt you, but I cannot accept your love, or return it."

Her head now, in turn, hung low as he raised his own in a rueful manner. He studied her as Greyback continued on in a triumphant manner, "HA! Now, will you have me my dear?"

I should never have you, or anyone else for that matter!" Suddenly, she disappeared of her own accord, leaving Remus feeling worse than ever before.

. . . Greyback studied Remus menacingly afterward . . .

"Well, seeing that you've managed to rip out two hearts, I guess I'll just have to ruin your life as well," he said in a glazed tone that didn't sound at all like his own. He lashed out, sending Remus to the floor. His gaze was inevitably unusual. There was a glassy look that covered his eyes, but there still was a burning flame of hate, only a spark, but it still remained there.

Wait . . . 'Seeing you've managed to rip out two hearts?' Not thinking before he acted, Remus spoke up while simultaneously trying to raise his hand from the sandy floor where it had wanted to stay, "What do you mean, two hearts?"

"Would it not be clear to you that—" Greyback stopped in mid-sentence. Remus knew the ending, knew that Greyback possibly was able to say that he cared, at least, for something in the world. But he did not continue the sentence, just gruffly continued with a growling voice, "Get out of my sight before I slaughter you with my bare hands!"

And he didn't ask about the matter again . . .

. . . Meters away from the dungeon with pricked ears . . .

Slowly, his sense started to work, but adrenaline had already pumped it way profusely through his veins, making his feet work faster than his mind; he raced through the forest, dodging, only slightly, jutting, low branches, follow the barely broken path on the ground. But he didn't need the path to know where he was going. He could smell the blood splattered on the tree trunks, over the ground before he even arrived at the scene, where the scream had come from; that high-pitched scream had made him jump halfway into the air, for his mind had only worked out who it could be, and his fear had led him to it.

Had it been who he thought it was, he would have broken down right there. But, instead of screaming and raging through the forest, searching for the murderer, he fell onto his knees out of respect, his hands shaking as he reached for the once, beautifully lit eyes, now dark as they searched the skies for the answer of what in the hell had happened.

The ravaged neck, once a pure, delicate white, was now covered in blood, not to mention the very grubby shirt, once white when stitched, now a light brown, only a tan white in places, but it was now covered in blood, just like the surrounding tree and grass in the clearing.

Her black pants now resembled a garbled mess, but they remained black, only red in places where the light struck her body in dappled patches. The sun was setting, fast, he would have the time later, if he lived, to mourn those who had been his friends, even in the midst of the most darkest of all places.

He raised his hands from where he had touched her contaminated blood, from where they had rested gingerly on her bleeding neck, her broken and torn spirit lost, her glazed eyes lost to him, his image and probably only saw blank, unexplainable blackness, a void.

He gulped carefully. If this nightmare was going to be over he would have to leave, but he was worried more about who was leaving than him leaving at all.

He rose from the worn place in the crackling leaves and grass and left the clearing, away from the nightmare that had infested itself in his mind . . . the nightmare that would always be there.

. . . In the center of many tents, there stood a crowd of werewolves, surrounding someone in the center . . .

She spit in their faces, knowing that was the only thing that anger them. What was more was that she always received a blow to the face that would also result in a blackened bruise later on, if she survived that was. Someone came from the back of the circle, quietly, and looked down on her.

Her face brightened for a moment, but, as her mind wandered as to who it could have been, a shadow of terror crossed over her faced as the solemn face of Greyback looked down on her.

"Montague, come," he said in a low voice, instructing those who didn't get out of the way by grabbing their necks and hauling them away from the scene, one by one. Montague walked over to him; the small scraggily man looked more vulnerable than any of those in the camp. He also held a wand by his side.

"Why in the world would Greyback want a werewolf in his pack who carries a wand?" She had asked herself this many times over, but the answer never seemed to jump into her mind, not that she cared about knowing. Suddenly an idea popped into her head.

Wand sparks were located by the Ministry. Even out in the middle of nowhere they would track down who shot them. "Maybe if I send my spell up in the air they would track it, apparate here, take Remus back, and I could apparate away from this mad pack of savages!"

Montague looked down on her as Greyback whispered maliciously in his ear. He nodded at something, but suddenly turned to Greyback with a looked of horror on his face.

"Do it. The ministry won't find out who did it. For all we know, they could accuse Lupin of it. And anyway, it'll keep him from going back to the outside world; it'll keep him here so I can kill him single-handedly. Just do me this one favor. And don't question me about it!"

Tonks suddenly acquired a look of defeat and terror; Montague walked up to her, stony-faced and silent. He shook his head, "I'm sorry," he mouthed, still silent.

"Hey!" A voice from the back, low and rough, came to their ears and someone was pushed up by two others, handled roughly, as if meaning to hurt whoever it was.

Her face lit up with utter relief. It was gone as quickly as it had come. He gave her an uncertain look, whispering quietly, "I'm sorry. Do you see now. This is why I didn't want you to give into me. This is what I was talking about. And it's my fault."

"No, it's not. I followed you here—"

He cut her of, shaking his head over and over again, "I'm the reason you were brought here."

"We'll make it out of this," she replied firmly. She watched as Remus was hauled to the ground, still shaking his head.

"Kill him as well!" someone from the crowd cheered, shouting at Montague to go on.

"No," Greyback stepped up from the back of the crowd and continued, "I'll take care of him myself. Let him witness the death of his loved one, let him suffer . . . just as I have." And Greyback withdrew himself from the crowd's sight, his disappeared unexplainable as the other werewolves started to lash out at the two seated in the middle of the darkest place in the wizarding world, their location unknown to anyone.


	9. Unneeded Suicide

_Chapter 7: Unneeded Suicide _

Montague had, in past, been irrevocably been loyal to Greyback. However, he had also become very attached to the man sitting in front of him, his head hanging low; his hate for the wizards who had killed his father for his incurable disease, who had passed it on to him, had kept him loyal to Greyback, to follow in his footsteps.

But he had been marveled at how miraculously Lupin had been unable to blame anyone for his condition, much less Greyback. He had also regretted ever spotted the young woman who obviously had something to do with Remus. Pale, tired-looking, she could have almost been taken as a werewolf, but she smelled too much of humans, a scent that Montague long since had lingering around himself.

He watched as the others cheered him on, waiting, wanting, to see the darkness of life, death, stolen away from them. He watched carefully, his blue eyes almost making him seem blind as he scanned the crowd.

The others, as he watched them, mercilessly spit at the two, lashing hands out, throwing obscene hand gestures, but they did nothing to retaliate against the rudeness of the outlaws.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and then they reopened. He clenched and unclenched his left hand, trying to make the task seem easier. If he wasn't able to kill these two he was damn certain he could kill someone else.

"Merlin," he muttered. "Damn it! Please, show me the way that I should have gone a long time ago. Show me where I've gone wrong. I shall listen this time, maybe then I can go the way I know I was meant to go, and, maybe then, I shall be shown the light. Please take me out of the goddamned darkness that I've been thrown into," he whispered to himself silently, mouthing the words; the voice inside his head saying them for him in silent prayer. He watched as the others grew quite.

"Merlin, rest my soul," he muttered as he raised his wand to his temple.

"Don't go!" But Remus' cry had been too late as the man fell into a crumpled heap on the ground, his eyes wide open and staring as they glimpsed the sky before Remus closed the man's eyelids silently.

Everyone surrounding them surged forward as Tonks took a grab at the wand. Suddenly the sky burst with a bright red light as weak sparks lit the sky; almost immediately after, people surrounded the area, casting stunning spells and freezing charms.

Minutes after total chaos, everything was silent except for the footsteps of the people who had come, searching the camp for any signs of escapees. At some point, Tonks had released Remus from the bonds that held him captive. Someone stood next to her but she didn't specify who it was. She turned toward him as he walked up behind her, "Will you leave now?"

"I'm not leaving without you," she said firmly, turning away from the black-clad Ministry worker who had begun to walk away. A soft crack was heard in the air, leaving the camp, tents burning, taking with them those who had bee stunned and captured.

"I can't go with you," Remus muttered quietly, looking anywhere beside her, his eyes scanning over what used to be his tent. He walked over to it, picking up a rose, its petals only singed at the ends. "Don't you see? Our love, affection, is twisted in such a way that you are one day going to regret ever giving in to it. Don't commit a death that is unneeded. I, for one, have done what I need to do. I am no longer useful while you still have much to do. You're an early blossom; I have withered and I'm starting to fade away. Please don't let me hurt you—"

"Stop, please—" She raised a hand, signaling for him to stop, but he continued relentlessly.

"I cannot hurt you. I won't let that happen. And when you realize that what you're doing, what you've tried to do, love me, is something you will hate yourself for in future. And when you look back on this and remember that I stopped you, you will be thankful—"

"No I won't, damn it! Remus, just, please, stop. I won't do anything of the sort. Trust me, this is not something I will regret later in my life. I love you — do you not understand that. I'm willing to give myself up for you. And don't say that I won't. Now can _we_ leave?" He sighed quietly, deeply. She knew she won, but this wasn't over just yet, she was completely aware of that.

She grabbed his wrist calmly, and then snaked her arm around his waist, turning with him by her side and disappaparating, the nightmare of what had all just happened sure to haunt them until further notice.


	10. Epilogue: Resigning

_Chapter 8: Epilogue: Resigning_

The two landed stumbling into the Burrow's dormant kitchen, not talking about what recent events had just occurred. Remus stood motionless with his arm resting around Tonks' waist. She turned into the contact and wrapped her arms gracelessly around his neck. He fell backwards into the elongated table and struggled for balance of any kind. The reality of her lips crashing against his, the hungry force building in his gut, he couldn't take it. His forcefully pushed her back away from him.

"This does not mean I'm staying here. I still have to go back—" He was cut off immediately.

"You're not going anywhere, Remus Lupin. After what happened tonight, I'm sure that you won't be going anywhere near Greyback again." Her voice was just a whisper, but still, that did not stop Molly from bustling into the kitchen. She seemed confused, elated, and surprised all at once. Her face could have torn in two from the beaming smile that was suddenly pasted on her face.

"Nymphadora, dear, oh Merlin, we were so worried when we left. We weren't even sure where you had gone. If you had just told Arthur and me, oh but that's nothing now, doesn't matter. What happened? You're both bloody and staining my kitchen table. Remus, dear, sit down and I'll help you." The both of them blinked in reply and Tonks hesitantly moved back to lean, with her arms crossed, against the kitchen counter in front of the sink, "Look out, dear." Molly ushered her out of the way and out of the kitchen where a seated and waiting Arthur looked up knowingly at her flustered presence.

"Have a seat," Arthur invited. Tonks sat comfortably down next to him, relaxing as she did so, settling down after everything that had just happened. "So, as I've just heard and by the looks of you, something happened at the camp. So what has been the goings on of tonight?" Arthur asked with a slight curious smile around his lips.

"The camp was infiltrated, there was a man, he… he," she faltered and Arthur raised his eyebrows, encouraging her to continue, wanting to hear the rest. Swallowing and readying herself for what she was about to say, Tonks muttered softly, "Killed himself."

"He killed himself. Why did he do that?"

"Greyback ordered him to kill the two of us. He couldn't do it. I'm not exactly sure why, but he couldn't. So he killed himself. Basically all hell broke loose. I think this has made Remus think about things. I could have lost him, we could have both died and I think that's made him see _something_, _any_thing, I hope." Arthur nodded at her words, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't he affirmed her suspicions.

"Yes, I think this could've helped him. Just hope for the best, Tonks. It'll get through to him one of these days." Patting her knee, he stood up and began to mount the stairs when her voice stopped him in his footsteps.

"Arthur, do you think Dumbledore would send him back there after what's happened tonight?" There was a formidable amount of silence before she began to think Arthur hadn't heard her and left to the darkness of his bedroom, but as she began to think this, he finally answered.

"I don't think so." And with that, the creaking whining of the stairs returned to silence as he finally reached the landing. His padding footsteps on the hallways rug faded to nothing with the click of a shutting door. Tonks stood triumphantly and walked into the kitchen with a slight smirk claiming her lips. Her eyes glittered lavender and mysterious as she stepped around Molly and next to the seated Remus. Molly was apparently finished and all the cuts that were clotted and dried on his arms, neck and face were gone completely. There was a slight red tint to his skin from the smeared blood, but a shower would clear that up.

"Guess what?" she asked cheekily. He raised his knitting brow in question as he remained silent. He just knew this was going to be fun. "You are never going back to that camp."

He sighed in mild defeat. "I didn't think Dumbledore was going to send me back there, but I'll put in for another mission and," Tonks' forefinger on his lips hushed him. Molly stood faded in the background smiling at the two. They would be very happy together if the war wasn't screwing up their relationship. She chimed in once Tonks politely told Remus to shut the hell up, were her thoughts.

"It's very late, you two, why not go upstairs. Bill's room has been cleaned out and his bed is made up. It should be big enough." Tonks seized the opportunity, grasped Remus' wrist and dragged him to the stairs. She turned in silent thank you with a glance and wink at Molly. Smiling, Molly returned to the remaining dishes that were soaking in the sink. If the war wasn't interfering . . .

. . . Upstairs . . .

"Remus," Tonks called through the darkness. He stood looking silently out the window. The blue of the sky was filtering through the room, inking the walls in midnight haze.

"I'm sorry," he replied vaguely. "I should have never agreed to that mission, I know. I _do_ love you; I just don't want my love to hurt you in any way. My being away on missions, you working for the ministry," his voice faded into the darkness as he sat on the bad. He searched for her hand, found it, and clasped it tightly in hers. "I want this to last for the both of us."

"I love you, too," she whispered.

A smile curled around his lips, "I want to make you happy."

"You do make me happy, Remus, you just have to quit running. That's what makes me said, can't you see that. It's not the war, it's not the death. It's _not_ being _with_ you. When I'm not with you, I feel so weak and vulnerable." She shook her head at the words and continued. This wasn't an argument. He was breaking and she wanted to make sure that is was steady and painless. She was winning. "I just want to be with you."

His hand fell gently on her hip and they softly kissed. It was his way of giving in. She smiled against his lips and, pulling each other into the embrace, they resigned themselves to the clutches of sleep.

. . . Nine Months Later . . .

Remus stood silently next to her. He looked completely drawn and worn out, maybe even more than she did. She smiled at the sight of the bundled baby held in his arms. People had begun to file quietly out of the room to leave them in peace. That day had been a complete blur, and as she looked around she forgot about everything but the two most important people in her life.

"Remus," she whispered quietly. Her arms were outstretched. Smiling, yeah, she had finally been able to get used to seeing him smile.

"What about Teddy? After your dad?" Remus asked thoughtfully.

"Teddy Remus Lupin," Tonks said with a smile of her own. "What about now, are you still sorry?" she asked quietly, recalling a night that had happened what seemed like forever ago. He had apologized for being a dimwitted idiot.

With his eyes glinting intensely, he answered her softly, "Not at all." Cradling her newborn son in her arms, Remus kissed her deeply and gently. The nightmares of war and Remus being in danger were far, far away. He was safe her with her. They were married. They had a son, Teddy Remus Lupin. And they were together. He whispered to her finally, a lone tear tarnishing his grinning face, "I have everything I've ever needed."


End file.
